Arrive in Marseille on suggested flights and make your way to the hotel. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including travel insurance (a condition of travel), a private hotel transfer, accommodation before or after the tour and a room category upgrade.

At 18:00, join your tour leader Julie Ewington and fellow travellers for a welcome briefing and dinner at the hotel.

(D)

This morning, explore the vibrant port city of Marseille with a walking tour through the heart of the old Panier quarter with its narrow streets, artisans’ shops and terraced houses. See the Vieille Charité, a former alms-house, now functioning as a museum and cultural centre.

After lunch, visit the stunning Mucem – the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations. This architectural masterpiece, built on reclaimed land at the mouth of Marseille harbour, forms a bridge between the Mediterranean and Europe.

(BL)

In the morning, discover a treasure trove of Provençal and Italian paintings and sculptures from the 16th to 19th centuries at the Musée des Beaux Arts, set in the grand Palais Longchamp. Among the museum’s highlights are masterpieces by Marseille native Pierre Puget, a leading figure of the Baroque era, along with evocative sculptures by caricaturist Honoré Daumier.

This afternoon, explore the opulent basilica Notre-Dame de la Garde, perched on a hilltop with stunning panoramic views. The basilica is one of the city’s best-known landmarks and a wonderful example of Neo-Byzantine architecture, adorned with golden mosaics and ex-votos offered by generations of artists and seafarers.

(BD)

This morning, visit the Unité d’Habitation, the first large-scale project of the famed architect Le Corbusier, who was commissioned after World War II to design a multi-family residential housing project. Completed in 1952, this bold “vertical garden city” is a fine example of modernist architecture.

Continue to the nearby Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC), home to nearly 800 works spanning the 1960s to the present day. The museum has its roots in the holdings of the Cantini Museum and regularly showcases celebrated artists such as Niki de Saint-Phalle, Marseille-born sculptor César and Yves Klein.

The rest of the day is at leisure to relax or to further explore Marseille at your own pace.

(B)

Depart the hotel by coach and stop at the picturesque district of L’Estaque. Once a humble fishing village and hub for tile-makers, L’Estaque blossomed into a legendary artists’ retreat. Stroll its charming waterfront and narrow lanes, taking in sweeping views of Marseille’s bay and dramatic limestone hills. Here, the unique Provençal light, blue sea, green pines and terracotta rooftops inspired masters like Cézanne, Braque and Renoir.

Continue to Arles, arriving in the mid-afternoon. This quintessential Provençal city has long captivated artists, most famously Vincent van Gogh, who immortalised the town’s winding streets, citizens and surrounding countryside in many of his later paintings.

Tonight, dinner is at a local restaurant.

(BD)

After a morning talk by Julie, embark on a walking tour of the historic centre of Arles, which was originally a Greek settlement, later developed by the Romans into a ‘little Rome’. The charming city is dominated by the remains of the massive Roman amphitheatre, built under Emperor Domitian, and the ruins of the ancient theatre, erected in the 1^st century under Emperor Augustus.

After lunch, visit the tranquil Cloister of Saint-Trophime, an exceptional example of Provençal Romanesque and Gothic architecture featuring intricately sculpted columns and capitals adorned with vivid biblical scenes and evocative local legends.

The remainder of the day is at leisure to rest or to stroll Arles’ ancient streets and sunlit squares that inspired Vincent van Gogh’s celebrated canvases.

(BL)

In the morning, discover the Espace Van Gogh, the former hospital where the artist was admitted in 1888 during his famously troubled period and painted the renowned Garden of the Hospital in Arles. Continue to the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh to see curated exhibitions that place his art in dialogue with modern and contemporary artists.

After lunch, journey through time at the Museon Arlaten, a beautifully renovated ethnographic museum founded by Nobel laureate Frédéric Mistral. Showcasing more than 3,500 objects, the museum tells the captivating story of Provence’s daily life, folklore and traditions.

(BL)

Today, travel to the picturesque town of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Experience its bustling Wednesday market, where colourful stalls fill the cobbled lanes with fresh produce, local cheeses, fragrant herbs and handcrafted Provençal goods. The market is considered one of the finest in the region.

In the afternoon, visit the peaceful Monastère Saint-Paul de Mausole, where van Gogh voluntarily admitted himself in 1889, seeking refuge following episodes of mental distress. During just over a year’s stay, Van Gogh experienced his most prolific period, creating more than 150 paintings, including key works such as The Starry Night and Irises.

Continue to the archaeological site of Glanum, where Roman forums, thermal baths, grand villas and public squares once bustled with life, before returning to Arles.

(B)

In the morning, depart Arles and journey into the countryside to Château La Coste. This extraordinary estate combines fine wine, contemporary art and architecture, and verdant gardens in an enchanting Provençal landscape. Explore the cuverie designed by Jean Nouvel, taste a range of fine organic wines and sample Provençal cuisine while overlooking the vines. Then, enjoy a guided tour of the Tadao Ando Art Centre, an architectural masterpiece where minimalist lines and natural light meet the timeless beauty of the landscape, and admire site-specific installations by the likes of Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder and Ai Weiwei.

Continue to Aix-en-Provence, arriving in the late-afternoon. The evening is at leisure.

(BL)

After a talk by Julie, enjoy the panoramic view of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire, one of Cézanne’s favourite subjects, from the so-called Painters’ Field.

Then, visit the Atelier des Lauves, Cézanne’s last studio, where he worked from 1902 until his death four years later. Bathed in natural light, this intimate workspace holds the artist’s original furniture, painting materials and objects featured in his iconic still lifes.

After lunch, explore the striking Carrières de Bibémus, a rugged plateau of ochre quarries once frequented by Cézanne. Wander shaded trails among towering red rocks and pine groves, comparing the dramatic scenery to the bold compositions that Cézanne painted here.

(BL)

Begin the day with a visit to the Bastide du Jas de Bouffan, Cézanne’s elegant family estate, set amid serene gardens and ancient trees.

Then, enjoy a guided tour of the prestigious Musée Granet, home to masterpieces by the likes of Matisse, Picasso, Klee, van Dyck, Ingres, Monet and Cézanne himself.

The afternoon is at leisure to relax or to further explore Aix-en-Provence at your own pace.

Tonight, celebrate the conclusion of the tour with a special farewell dinner with Julie and fellow travellers.

(BD)

Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast.

Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including a private airport transfer, additional nights’ accommodation either before or after the tour and travel insurance (a condition of travel).

(B)